Shadows, Dust, and Air
by Ninamazing
Summary: Another "why Snape is so bitter" story, but NOT Lily-oriented...I think it's a different reason. PLEASE read & review!!
1. Shadows

I have always been overshadowed by those who are "better than me." My mother, my father, and especially my older sister. She went to MIT before me, doing all kinds of complicated technical work, and I was the underdog, just working on my writing, hoping that my stories could lift me into another world. The prodigal daughter was denied nothing, her report cards nothing but A++++, one after the other.   
She never attracted many boys, and I never many girls...well, never any, to be truthful. The Snapes were the smart ones, the ones that were constantly seen with their noses in huge books, the ones who fainted if they got an A or below. To them, three thousand A++++s were the only way.   
I got respectable grades, enough to make my teachers say that I was "at least half as good as his sister!" But my parents never said anything that even resembled praise to me. I said the wrong things, made the wrong friends, got the wrong grades, went to the wrong places, liked the wrong music, read the wrong books...the list could go on forever.   
But everything seemed to veer sharply away from this unpleasantness when I had just started seventh grade. A letter came in the mail in very old and yellowed parchment, and in shiny, strange green ink at the top it read, "HOGWARTS - PLEASE RUSH," and below that was my name and address. I opened it in amazement, wondering who could have done this for me.   
"What's that, Severus?" inquired my father.   
"It's - it's - a letter of acceptance," I replied. "For high school."   
"Too early for high school," he proclaimed, and smiled, looking pleased with himself. "And anyway, you're going the same way Carine is...Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, and then straight onwards to MIT."   
"But - but Dad...the best school in the country..."   
"...is MIT."   
"But just please look at this...it's Hogwarts...it's all the way near London...I could go to a gigantic city...how educational!!" I exclaimed, trying to get him excited. Carine, beside me, looked down her nose at my letter. I prayed she wouldn't say a thing - my parents would follow her wherever she went. My mother wisely kept out of this little scuffle.   
"Hogwarts?" My father took on the Snape Frown, a family face that, well, looked as though everything around you smelled rather strongly of onions. He reached forward to grab at the envelope, and I handed him the letter from Professor Ari Delmondo about my acceptance into Hogwarts.   
"It's a prank, Severus. Can't you weed out pranks when you see them??" my father began, and I knew we were off on one of those "you're wrong" arguments again. "School for Witchcraft and Wizardry," he scoffed condescendingly. "School for my behind, more like!!"   
I knew it was over, although I was determined to go. This was the sort of thing I had been hoping for all my life, and I sure as hell wasn't going to pass it up!! But how was I going to go at this point? My entire family was now dead set against Hogwarts, and it wasn't like I could sneak out or anything - Carine was a very, very light sleeper. But in the end I decided that would have to be it - sneak out with all the money I had (I never bought anything, so I had a pretty good amount, even with my pitiful allowance), change it into wizard money, go to London, and try to figure out what the heck was going on. At least in London I could catch the train...if I could get to the platform. But I'd worry about that later.

Two days later, at 3AM in the morning, I put on every piece of clothing I owned (hey, it was cold outside) and snuck softly out of bed, grabbing my huge travel bag on the way. I was halfway down the steps when I tripped on a pen lying there, and tumbled down to the bottom before I could stop myself. I sat, breathing hard, knowing I could never get out now. Carine's head appeared at the top of the steps, but she wasn't wearing her usual Snape Frown.   
"Severus..." she began, looking - oddly - concerned. "If you're going to that wizard school..."   
I nodded slowly, wondering what was happening.   
"Good luck," she whispered softly, and left, quietly, so as not to disturb my slumbering parents on the third floor. I grinned in spite of myself, something I didn't have much practice at, and hurried out the front door.   
Once on the street, I started quickly towards the bus stop. Carine might have been playing a trick on me, and the sooner I could catch the bus, the harder it would be for them to find me. But as the bus pulled up and I looked briefly back, no lights were on. I shook my head in wonder and leaped aboard, grateful to be free at last and ready for the long journey to London, where the bus routes ended.

London was huge, bigger than any city I'd ever seen, and full of life. Jewelry shops, huge department stores, nice candy shops, button shops, grocers, meat sellers....anything but a wand store, or a wizard robes outfitter. I wondered where on earth I could purchase all this stuff. But just then I heard voices behind me, pleasant voices...   
"Andrew, stop playing with your coat. Once we get your Hogwarts robes, you'll have some real clothes to..."   
Hogwarts!! I quickly found the red-haired family of happy, excited young wizards - and their scolding parents. I followed them all the way to a bar with a crooked sign reading, "THE LEAKY CAU_DRON -" it looked as though the "L" had fallen off. Still, it was nice inside, and I sipped gratefully at a warm hot chocolate while I chatted with the friendly bartender, Tom. He told me everything I needed to know about going to Hogwarts - how to get to Diagon Alley, where to buy what there, how to get to Platform Nine And Three-Quarters, and which House I'd want to be Sorted into.   
Now that was something that scared me. I didn't know whether I wanted to be in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin - Hufflepuff was definitely out. I _wasn't_ a duffer!! But in the end, I decided Slytherin. They were probably all right there, just trying to make a good name for themselves out of all the bad "publicity." And I could help them. I would be the best student Hogwarts ever had, living up to no one!! And this time, Carine wasn't there to stop me.   
I said goodbye to Tom and followed a witch into Diagon Alley, wondering what it was like. Everything I had imagined was far too dull for this amazing place. Staring, enthralled, I stepped into the sunlight and watched the bustling shoppers all around me. Cauldrons, owls, books, fantastic wands, real flying brooms, strange animals, all kinds of different smells and sights...it was absolutely incredible. It took me a minute for it all to seep in, and I laughed with joy in spite of myself.   
Nearing the end of the block, I found what I had been looking for: the wizard bank. It was called Gringotts, or so the sign said, and it was an impressive place. There was a chilling rhyme by the door, and I shivered. I'd be mad to try and rob this place!!   
I stepped inside the main room, looking at all the goblins hard at work. I slowly approached one and mumbled hello, and he didn't even look up. I walked up to the largest desk.   
"Excuse me," I said timidly.   
"What?" asked the main goblin. "Want to start an account?"   
"Er, yes, I suppose...I've only Muggle money..." I stammered. The goblin looked shocked. "I want to change it, of course," I continued softly, and his expression lightened.   
"Graynose!" he called, and another goblin, dressed in a magnificent gold and red velvet uniform, walked up.   
"Change his old, dirty money to our good wizard money, and take him to open vault nine-hundred four. The new goblin beckoned to me, and I followed, a little scared but not as apprehensive as I had been when I first entered.   
My Muggle "fortune" totaled to a very small pile of gold Galleons, a few groups of silver Sickles, and heaps of little bronze Knuts. I figured it would do for a few terms - and I also planned to get a summer job, maybe working at Hogwarts as an intern or something. I'd think about it when I got there. I gathered up what I figured would be good for my first year, and then left the bank, thanking Graynose. He grunted in reply - were goblins always this grouchy?? I couldn't help but think it might be neat to be one, though...all mysterious and scary.   
Gringotts left my mind as I approached the stores with proper money in my hands and, using a restraint on myself because of my lack of money, decided to go down the list in order and see what I could do with the money I had left. Looking around, I noticed a huge clothing shop, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, and figured I should try there first. I purchased my "three sets of plain work robes (black), one plain pointed hat (black) for day wear, one pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar), and one winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)," just like the list on the letter said. I wondered where I would get name tags, but they and a good pen came with the clothes I bought, so that was no problem. Now that I had my money, I planned to get a room at the Leaky Cauldron until school started.   
Next, I spotted a huge bookstore, and read a big sign over it that said, "FLOURISH AND BLOTTS," in beautiful letters. I strolled in, wondering how I would find all my books. But I didn't have to wonder long....   
"Hogwarts? What year?" asked a friendly clerk who had just seen me come in.   
"Uh, I'm just starting," I replied, and he smiled.   
"Good then...so you'll be needing _The Standard Book of Spells, A History of Magic, Magical Theory, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, _and _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, _right??"   
I gasped. He was good.   
"Uh..yeah..."   
"Here you go then!! Our Hogwarts first year book package, complete with a little surprise," he told me, and, smiling, he left. I peeked inside the fancy blue bag he had given me - it would be good for a schoolbag once I got to Hogwarts, that's one thing I didn't have to buy! - and to my surprise, I saw a small jar of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and a big box of Chocolate Frogs. Wizard candy!! It was fascinating...but I didn't have time to eat. I paid for my remarkably cheap book package, and left, thanking everyone profusely. I was in awe.   
I creeped inside the dimly-lit Ollivanders Wands minutes later, wondering at the dust and bizarre silence. A strange thin man stepped toward me, his silvery eyes shining eerily, and I shivered internally.   
"Ah, yes. A new customer to the finest wand makers since 382 B.C. And your name would be...?"   
I gulped. "Er, Severus Snape," I replied, timid again.   
"Let's see how you fit with my wands," he nearly whispered. "Hold out your wand arm." I did, and soon, a little measuring tape was measuring - by itself - every aspect of me. It was slightly uncomfortable, but so was the entire shop, and I held still out of good sense. "Thank you," the man told the tape, and it dropped suddenly. He handed me a wand.   
I swished it cleanly through the air, watching the sparks shoot out like fireworks, different colors and shapes. Mr. Ollivander - as I guessed he was - clapped in joy.   
"I love it when I get a first guess right!!" he exclaimed. "Thirteen inches, mahogany, dragon heartstring. Flexible but tough. Very fitting."   
He packaged it up for me and I left, relieved to get a breath of fresh air away from the dusty, purplish shop. I was, however, delighted with my wand and had to keep myself from opening it and ruining the packaging. I would wait until I was safe in my room to look over at what I'd bought and read up on those books - _Magical Drafts and Potions _looked rather interesting.   
I checked my Hogwarts list again. Next stop - Carmine's Cauldrons. I shivered. Carmine was so much like Carine...I shuddered in horror and briskly strode up to the store, my own proud and cunning self again, not the timid, stupid little boy I had been acting like. Lost in thought about my days at Hogwarts, which I was determined to make wonderful beyond belief, I barely noticed as I finished my shopping at the Apothecary and cauldron shop and looked at the bottom of my list.   
"Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad."   
Hmm. Tom had told me that toads were out of style and I didn't like cats, so I figured an owl was the best way to go. And didn't he also say something about owls carrying mail?? Sounded interesting, so I opened the door to Eeylops Owl Emporium and emerged fifteen minutes later with a lovely brown owl tucked safely in a gold cage under my arm. After all that shopping, I had only a few Sickes and lots of tiny Knuts left. But I had a brand new world of possessions.

* * *

  
**Disclaimer: All characters and places, plus the Hogwarts letter, book titles, store products, and anything else pertaining to Hogwarts, belongs to the great and glorious Joanne Kathleen Rowling. She rules!! ;)******

**A/N: Please review and tell me whether I should finish. I've always thought that Snape falling in love with Lily was indeed dramatic enough, but maybe not really what happened. NO offense to the people who have done those fics - you all did them splendidly, I just wanted to do my own original version. Do you like?? ;)**


	2. Dust

After I had done all my shopping at Diagon Alley, I went back to the Leaky Cauldron to see about getting a room until school started - and maybe a job, to earn money for next term. Tom said sure to both, and soon I was upstairs unpacking all my things before I went down to start my month-long job as a general helper at the Leaky Cauldron, for ten Sickles per day. At the end of the month, I would have plenty of money for next term (I hoped). Still, it was a lot of money, and since I made so much, I allowed myself to buy a few small treats for myself during that month.   
As I was getting ready that first night, I looked at myself in the full-length mirror on the wall, on impulse. I was very skinny, I saw, and there were bags under my eyes, but that was usual. The thing that shocked me most wasn't that, it was the fact that my face wasn't twisted in its usual Snape Frown (a deranged sort of scowl I inherited from my father), but I actually wore a _smile._   
This is amazing, I thought as I walked downstairs. The first time in my life I've actually been happy. And I'll be happier at Hogwarts - I just know I'll be the best student, the pride of the school. I just know it.   
"Oh, there you are, Severus," exclaimed Tom with a grin as I walked in. "Would you exchange everything in the 'MUGGLE CURRENCY' bin for me, please? Thank you..." I had no time for any more thoughts that day as Tom sent me back and forth on errands, but as I lay in bed at the end of the day with ten Sickles safe in my new self-counting money box from "Talia's Trifles - handy tools, pretty trinkets, and more!", something occured to me. What if I wasn't as smart as the rest, coming from a Muggle family?   
I sat up in bed, suddenly terribly anxious. What if they threw me out because of "inadequate preparation?" What if all the wizard kids made fun of me? What if I got nicknamed, "Stupid Severus," and all the teachers hated me because I didn't know anything about wizard life?? I started breathing hard. For once in my life, here was a time where I wouldn't automatically have people assuming I knew everything just because my last name was 'Snape.'   
In the end, I decided to study my course books for an hour each night, and soon I at least knew enough to start. Magical Drafts and Potions was by far the most interesting book...just the introduction enthralled me. It began, "This book will teach you the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking. It will show you the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... If you read this book carefully enough, it can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - but only if you read on, and learn, learn with all your mind's power."   
I enjoyed my Defense Against the Dark Arts course books, too - the section on vampires, even though it was far too advanced for me, was absolutely astounding. I never knew that vampires had their own _government!_ And even more astonishing was the fact that this government was made up of seven strange creatures called charbains which were made completely out of blood and enchanted to look like huge, ravenous boars. It was disgusting, and I loved it.

That month went by more quickly than the first eleven years of my life, it seemed, and soon I was thanking Tom and saying goodbye, rolling my luggage trolley through King's Cross Station, looking down the length of the train in wonder, and speeding along towards my first year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nobody came into my compartment on the train - well, maybe that's not completely true - one chubby-faced boy did peer in the window, but when he saw my surprised look, he disappeared as fast as if he was Apparating. I shrugged, almost apologetically, but couldn't bring myself to think about other people right now. I was far too happy.   
The time passed quickly, and even though I was angry that I couldn't buy anything from the food cart, I reminded myself that that would soon change once I got out of being lazy, and I was still incredibly excited about being taught wizardry at last! I wondered when I'd start Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions ... I could barely stand the wait.   
I fell asleep after awhile, laying down on the full length of the two cushions, glad that there were no other students there to annoy me. Generally, I disliked people, even though I sort of had to depend on Tom that first time. But I always made sure never to ask anybody about the curriculum; I would be the best student Hogwarts ever saw and I would reach that excellence all by myself! I woke up harshly, to the sensation of the train creaking as it stopped. Instantly alert, I jumped out of the train cushions and changed as fast as I could. Students were pouring out of the train, and I wasn't even dressed yet! Hastily, I grabbed my bag and scampered out of the train after the first year group, infuriated that I'd let myself sleep so late.   
Severus Serpentus Snape, I told myself hotly, you will pay for this. Look at you! How are you going to get Sorted in this condition! Sleepy-eyed, tousled hair, mussed robes, yawning -   
"Hey," a boy with wild black hair and bright blue eyes was beside me before I even knew it.   
"What do you want?" I asked acidly, not meaning to sound so sharp. I was still seething about my drowsiness on the train, I guessed.   
He shrugged, a frown appearing on his face. "Just wanted to make friends, that's all," he replied hastily.   
"I'm not in the mood," I told him, and pushed past him up to the boats, not even bothering to take a look at the towering castle in the distance. The annoying boy stayed away from me, I was happy to find, and got into a boat with three chattering students: a strong-looking girl with bright red frizzy hair, a small, weak, trembling boy, and a tall, handsome boy that looked older than he was. Maybe he got accepted late because he was too stupid, I thought nastily.   
I wasn't exactly starting off on the right foot to be the admired best student, but I didn't like the idea that some aggravating little guy thought that all he needed to do to be "instant friends" with me was to scream "Hey" at me. I was going to play hard-to-get, and I didn't mind at all. I'd rather choose my friends, I thought to myself sourly.   
Two giggling girls sat on the other end of my boat, and I stared in the other direction as they pointed out "cute men" to each other and sighed. Carmine was never like that - but why was I thinking about Carmine? All she wanted to do was destroy me, and at this school I would be the best. Nobody would stop me - I would make absolutely sure of that, I told myself, determined, as I ducked under the wall of ivy. No. Matter. What.   
As we got up to the front door, a stern-looking, brown-haired man opened the door. He had big hands, I noticed right away, and he looked very strong. His eyes, an unusually bright shade of orange, seemed to cast a light spell over us all, and we were instantly awed.   
"I am Professor Ari Delmondo, the Headmaster of this school," he announced in a cool, collected voice. We all blinked at once, and our vision and our minds cleared. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Please follow me." We obeyed, and he led us into a positively colossal hall, with huge stone ceiling, walls, and floor, and a splendid marble staircase grandly opening to the floors above. Professor Delmondo ushered us into a small chamber off of the hallway where we - I put the number of students at around forty - listened once again to his little speech.   
"Welcome to my school. This building is the place where you will spend the better part of seven years of your life. There will be good moments, bad moments, hilarious moments, subdued moments, triumphant moments, ashamed moments, awkward moments, grand moments ... seven years gives you plenty of time to have many, many experiences. As you take the terrific journey of growing up in these friendly walls, new responsibilities and opportunities will be offered to you - many times. The first is the great Sorting Ceremony." He paused while we all absorbed this information. "From the moment when you are Sorted into a House, every action of yours will count towards your House's points. Work hard and excel at everything you do, and your House profits terrifically. Fail and break rules, and your House stands no chance to win the glorious House Cup that is awarded at the end of the year.   
"Now, you may freshen up and get ready for the Sorting Ceremony. Remember: worrying now is pointless, for you are already in the good hands of fate." Smiling, he left, leaving us all in utter wonder and confusion. Students around me began to chatter, obviously worried despite his - er - helpful advice. I swallowed and reminded myself that I had practically taken the courses already. I muttered things like the twelve uses of dragon's blood and how vampires react to the leaves of a burning aloe plant until it was finally time, and we all filed in front of the entire school in the Great Hall.   
I didn't have time to look around me; I was suddenly lost in fear. What was I going to - suddenly, I was watching a stout, flame-haired old woman placed a stool and a hat in front of the line of first years, and I pushed my anxieties to the back of my mind as the hat began to sing. I jumped about a foot when it started, but, ashamed, I'd backed down inconspicuously and listened, hoping no one had noticed my outburst of shock.   
It was a bitter eternity before my name was called. I sat there miserably; watching, hoping, waiting, wondering, listening, pondering. Finally, the old woman croaked, "Snape, Severus," and I shakily walked to the Hat, feeling numb. And right away, I was staring into its black depths and smelling the magic-filled scent of cedar, ashes, and clean linen all in one.   
"Aha," it began. "_Very_ interesting. Let me see - a strong will, that can be useful, high standards, excellent. But - oh, what an iron heart. It's so cold, it seeps through your entire body like a virus. I can see where all this is coming from ... Is it too late?" The hat tightened on my head momentarily, and I realized it was giving off a little sigh. "Hasn't been another one like you since - well, there was Salazar, but he wasn't young like you ... my, I'm rambling! Well, I've made my decision, and hopefully I'll have to change it - but for now, looks like it must be SLYTHERIN!"   
The room was absolutely silent as I walked over to the table second from the right. Nobody applauded. At. All. I didn't mind. I was just relieved to be somewhere.   
It didn't take long after I was seated for the entire ceremony to end, and the venerable witch carried the stool and the hat away from the center of the room. Someone shouted, "Dig in!" and we all happily obeyed.   
As I dumped sour cream on my baked potato, I glanced at the other tables, and caught a dark-haired boy's eye. He was sitting at the table on the far left, and he nudged his friend. As the person next to him looked up, I realized it was the annoying kid from the boats! I glared, and turned back to my potato. So what if I was already making enemies? I had to be prepared for jealousy if I was going to be the best in the school, didn't I?

Back in the Great Hall the next morning, I pretended to be concentrating hard on my bacon while I peered up at the left table stealthily. I watched Annoying Boy and his friends eating together (AGAIN). None of them looked over at the Slytherin table, which was a great relief, I thought ... then I saw the girl turn around and look at me and was preparing my most vicious glare when someone banged my right elbow. I looked over and saw a burly arm grabbing for pineapple juice, and then I noticed that the arm was attached to a huge boy with a nasty grin on his face.   
"Sorry," he said unsorrowfully. I scowled, but didn't say anything. Better not to mess with weight-lifters.   
"I said sorry!" he yelled, and grabbed me by my collar and sneered right into my face. Horrid-smelling breath rose like a cloud around me, and I closed my eyes. "What do you say when someone says they're sorry?????"   
"It was my fault," I said untruthfully, trying my best to unwrinkle my nose. He smelled awful! His lizardlike eyes rolled in his head and flashed.   
"Good, little tyke. Now let's be friends. I want a midget for a friend." The rest of the table, which had been watching, all laughed.   
"I -" I started, but Delmondo had seen what was happening and strode right on over. Gregory turned green - well, more green than his huge face already was, anyway - and plopped me right back down, but it didn't do anything. The Headmaster had already seen him.   
"Mr. Goyle," he admonished. "When will you ever learn? What a poor welcome you gave Mr. Snape! Twenty points from Slytherin, and don't let it happen again." The Slytherins that had been watching were now all innocently devouring their breakfasts, and Gregory gave me a horrid glare as Delmondo turned his back on us and left.   
"Snape," Gregory whispered. "You'll pay dearly for this one." I pretended not to notice, but inside I was screaming. What would Gregory do? I had the awful feeling I'd find out very soon.

Late afternoon found me in the Astronomy room, paying close attention to Professor Alga - or so it seemed. We had double Astronomy on Monday afternoons - with the Hufflepuffs. The gossip queen, instantly known and dreaded throughout the whole school, had been whispering the entire period, and all I caught was "Severus Serpentus? [giggles]" and "Snape, he's a Slytherin." I figured out who they were talking about in a bit, using a lot of hard thinking skills.   
"Sirs moja ish no best too sbiper," Alga announced. Well, that's what it sounded like to me, anyway. "Issa Shnay?" he asked. I rested my chin in my hands and scratched my forehead, getting ready for a long nap. If I could just ...   
"MR. SNAPE!" yelled Alga. "How many times do I have to ask you??!!" The Gossip Queen snickered under her breath. I vowed revenge. I was also glad that Gregory wasn't there to add his snicker as well - I saw him go off to Divination or something like that with a bunch of his friends, so I figured we were in different years.   
"Y - yes, sir?" I asked, hoping that my drowsiness wouldn't lose Slytherin points OR grade points. I shook myself out of it, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry, sir," I added.   
"Well, what is it then?"   
"Er, well, Sirs moja is northwest of -"   
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??" Alga screamed in fury. I shivered a little, surprised. I'd never seen a teacher this angry, never. My hands quivered and my notes became crooked as I scrambled to take them down while I was talking to him.   
"I don't know, sir," I said truthfully, trying to see behind him to the board, I'd gotten half a word -   
"SNAAAAAPE!!!!" he bellowed, huge veins sticking out of his thin neck. I knew I was in for it. "GO TO DELMONDO! NOW!! BEFORE I -" I didn't hear anything else. I was already running.   
Delmondo gave me an extremely stern talking-to, and I lost fifty points from Slytherin - I should have believed the gossipers when they said that Delmondo was a gigantic point-taker. For once, they were right!   
But I was wrong. Gregory did eventually find out about that awful Astronomy class - it was all over the school! Yes, Gregory Goyle ["the First," as he always insisted] found many ways to torture and tease me about that one ... in fact, he found ways to torture and tease me for every mistake I made.   
He didn't torture and tease me much, and not just because I made few mistakes. Most of his attention was concentrated on James Potter - otherwise known as Annoying Boy - and Sirius Black - the hotheaded kid who was his best friend. This I found amusing - Gregory and I, rivals from the start, had come up with a common foe.   
What I did not find amusing, however, is that James and his friends didn't return Gregory's feelings; they never had time. All of their attention was on me.   
One incident in particular I will always remember ...

"Class, I'm going to step out for a minute with Professor Delmondo," Professor Colloqua remarked one morning in Herbology. He slid the door of the greenhouse closed, and strolled back up to the school with the Headmaster to discuss something of "utmost importance." Black seized his chance.   
"Why, it's Smarty Severus, peering out the greenhouse window!" he cheered sarcastically. James and his other little friend, Remus, laughed.   
"Interesting that you call me Smarty," I replied coolly. "Finally you realize that I am, in fact, smarter than you all." I sneered, very well. I'd been practicing since the day I was born.   
Black glared, then grinned. "Well, let's see," he returned, his smile growing. I didn't like the look of it. "Keep it fair," he began. "Only James and Severus are allowed to answer the questions I ask." I was about to protest that he was biased, but that would have made me out to be a coward, so I didn't dare. James was grinning now, too.   
"First question ..." Black announced. "What do you get when you add powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"   
"The Draught of Living Death," James answered immediately, before I could even open my mouth. I narrowed my eyes.   
"I knew that one," I said, fury rising in me. "Just give me a chance to answer." Sirius nodded.   
"Fine by me," he agreed. His sudden amiability was extremely unconvincing. "Where would you find a bezoar?" he asked. I gulped, hoping they didn't see it.   
"In the stomach of - of - of -"   
"A goat," James finished. I glared frightfully at him, but he didn't even flinch. He stared calmly back, obviously proud of himself. Self-centered, foolish, full-of-himself, stuck-up pig, I concluded.   
"Last question," stated Black. "Even though since it's a best out of three, you've already lost." He smiled triumphantly at me.   
"Hey!" I shouted, really angry now. "I answered the second one!"   
"All right then ..." Black screwed up his face. "We'll give you that one." He exchanged a wink with James. "But answer me this - what is the difference between monkshood and aconite?"   
"They're the same plant, also called wolfsbane," James shot out quickly. Right on cue, they both beamed proudly at me.   
"I didn't even have time to answer," I grumbled.   
"It's all in the speed," Black informed me mock-helpfully. He snapped his fingers twice. "You don't have that, how can you ever have an education?" The two terrors vanished into the class as Professor Colloqua came back, and I vowed bitter revenge on all of them. Someday, I would get them where it hurt. For now, I was content to lie still, and let my enemies come to me, and nibble.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Did anybody catch the sort-of pun I made around dinner...let me see...why is Snape so SOUR..*grin* If you didn't get it, you can go back and check if you want, but the joke will have lost something. Oh, and final sentence belongs to the fine, talented people who wrote the script for Gladiator - that was Senator Falco's line. Random question: where do wizard kids go to school BEFORE Hogwarts?? Do they at all?? And who's the other twin besides Parvarti?? Opinions, please, along with your reviews on the story - of course! *grin* Thank you very much, as always!! Need I remind you that I write for you? =)**


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